Teacher leadership in higher education: why not?

Abstract

This phenomenological investigation examined teacher leadership within the context of higher education among novice faculty members with a specialization in educational leadership. These newcomers received informal guidance and support from specific faculty members whom they identified as exemplifying teacher leadership. The core methodology involved in-depth interviews complemented by bridling journal entries, capturing the lived experiences and perceptions of the six participants from six Arab States. Data analysis employed a whole-part-whole approach. Findings suggest three manifestations or themes for teacher leadership, including social enculturation, expertise diffusion, and emotional fitness. The insights gleaned from this study provide a foundation for fostering discourse on teacher leadership development in higher education contexts.

Keywords

• Teacher leadership
• higher education
• faculty development
• leadership functions
• distributed leadership
• shared leadership